A BLAZING BEACH 559 



of about one foot, and this may readily be conceived of as possible in 

 cases where there was an unusual discharge of gas. 



The explanation originally offered appears to fulfill all the observed 

 conditions, and upon further study there seems to be no good reason 

 for regarding it as other than valid. The flames are to be considered 

 as resulting directly from the spontaneous combustion of light carbu- 

 retted and phosphuretted hydrogen at the moment of their contact with 

 the air, and these flaming gases in turn ignited the associated sulphur- 

 etted hydrogen, which gas then gave rise to secondary features such 

 as the bluish, luminous flame and the sulphurous acid fumes. Exam- 

 ination showed that there was no adequate basis for any of the various 

 attempts to explain the phenomenon as the result of volcanic action, 

 the disruptive effects of a blast of fifty tons of dynamite two miles 

 away, or the decomposition of fish, the phosphorescence of which was 

 not clearly differentiated from the main features of the conflagration. 



While it is a comparatively simple matter to reach the conclusions 

 thus far given, it is altogether a more serious problem to ascertain the 

 origin of the gas, the greatest difficulty being to determine how gas 

 could be produced in sufficient quantity to give rise to a conflagration 

 of the extent and duration observed. It is perhaps justifiable to con- 

 clude that the gas must have been accumulating at a slow rate for a 

 long time, otherwise there would not have been such a large volume; 

 and it is also reasonable to suppose that, unless liberated as fast aa 

 formed, smaller conflagrations should have been noted on previous 

 occasions. But the local records, so far as the memory of ' the oldest 

 inhabitant' extends, can show no similar occurrence in the past. 

 Such storage of gas would be quite possible in a deposit of coarse 

 gravel, pebbles and coarse sand, overlaid by a layer of fine, wet and 

 compact sand acting as a retaining layer. It is possible, also, that 

 the accumulation of gas may have been brought about under slight 

 pressure, so that the earthquake of the day before may have furnished 

 just that shaking which was necessary to disturb the conditions of 

 equilibrium and liberate the gas at a critical moment. The occurrence 

 of a smaller conflagration one month later may or may not harmonize 

 with this idea, but it does seem to emphasize the suggestion of the 

 storage of large volumes of gas which were not wholly set free on the 

 first occasion. In endeavoring to account for the source of the gases, 

 three explanations have been found to be possible: 



1. The area protected by the barrier beach is, as already noted, 

 somewhat depressed. It extends from the beach to a stone wall which 

 may be seen just beyond the two elm trees ; and from the square house 

 to an almost equal distance beyond the corner of the hotel piazza on 

 the right. It was originally occupied by Sir William Pepperrell as a 

 deer park, but later it was utilized as a tan-yard. 



Some years since two drains were laid through this area in such 

 a way as to make sections of its entire extent. The ditches were car- 



